What's been your favorite commission so far? Any you would redo if given the chance?
The closest thing I have to a "regret" regarding a commission was the heresholl, which I had misinterpreted the request. I thought it was supposed to be a riff on the concept of a "hell horse", rather than a conversion of a specific "hell horse" monster from Arduin. I've since made the hell horse as well.
As for my favorites, I'm quite proud of the shito, which are my take on the Angels from Neon Genesis Evangelion. I feel like I gave them actual personalities and motivations that make them usable in a fantasy game in ways other than their appearances in the source material as essentially interchangeable Monsters of the Week.
[Commissioned by @crazytrain48, from a single sentence in the Arduin Grimoires. It is mentioned that hell maidens ride “hell horses”, and the commissioner requested that I made them undead to distinguish them from nightmares. I found this image while searching for art for that commission, and fell in love with it.
Edit: As explained in the hell horse entry, I had missed that the hell horse actually had statistics in Arduin, and made up my own creature based on the name. So this is “loosely inspired” by Arduin, but I still quite like the critter.]
Heresholl
CR 5 LE Undead
This hideous creature resembles nothing so much as an oversized skull the size of a small horse, six spindly legs of shadow emerging from its undercarriage.
Giants tend towards the insular and clannish, and evil giants more so than usual. When an evil giant betrays its clan, it may be cursed by the leaders of its tribe and be forced in life to physically support the tribe in a way they did not spiritually or metaphorically. These creatures are heresholls—giants use them as beasts of burden, and fiends use them as mounts. The body of a heresholl atrophies, the skull swells, and a bevy of insect-like legs emerge from the hole left behind by the spinal column. Although they are not naturally native to the Lower Planes, they are often carried there by devils, sahkils or other evil outsiders, who often accept them as payment from giant spellcasters using planar ally and similar spells.
Heresholls are grimly servile to giants, and even a giant without magical gifts can order them around with relative impunity. As such, heresholls enjoy taking their frustrations out on smaller and weaker creatures. Their primary attack is a savagely strong bite, but they can run over enemies with their skittering, clawed legs. Creatures trampled repeatedly are slowly paralyzed, their muscles stiffening—these victims are often left alive to be sacrificed, eaten or otherwise tormented.
Most heresholls seek to leave the service of giants, and they eagerly seek out evil outsiders to whisk them away. They prefer those with lawful temperaments, but are rarely choosy enough to turn down a demon, daemon or sahkil. If left to their own devices, heresholls will collect treasure to remind them of the pleasures they once indulged in in life. Their treasures may be so only to a creature with a giant’s psychology—these may include any odds and ends that might be found in a giant’s bag.
Heresholl CR 5
XP 1,600
LE Large undead
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +12, see in darkness
Aura unnatural (30 ft.)
Defense
AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +1 dodge, +7 natural)
hp 52 (8d8+16)
Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +7
DR 5/bludgeoning and magic; Immune cold, electricity, undead traits
Weakness by giant command
Offense
Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +10 (2d6+6)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks sapping trample (1d6+6, Reflex DC 18)
Statistics
Str 18, Dex 13, Con -, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 15
Base Atk +6; CMB +11; CMD 23 (31 vs. trip)
Feats Dodge, Intimidating Prowess, Mobility, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Acrobatics +9 (+17 when jumping), Climb +23, Intimidate +17, Perception +12
Languages Giant, Infernal
SQ strong back, teleport tagalong
Ecology
Environment any land or underground (Hell or Ethereal Plane)
Organization solitary, pair or clutch (3-8)
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
By Giant Command (Su) A heresholl is supernaturally compelled to follow the orders of giants. Any creature with the giant subtype may give the heresholl a direct order as a standard action, and the heresholl must obey it as per a suggestion spell. It may resist this ability with a successful Will save equal to 10 + ½ the giant’s HD + the giant’s Cha modifier.
Sapping Trample (Su) Any living creature that takes damage from a heresholl’s trample attack must succeed a DC 16 Fortitude save or take 1d4 points of Dexterity damage. This is a negative energy effect, and the save DC is Charisma based.
Strong Back (Ex) A heresholl has a carrying capacity three times that of normal. Treat this as a permanent, non-magical, ant haul spell.
Teleport Tagalong (Su) A heresholl can be transported by the greater teleport spell-like ability or skip between supernatural ability of an evil-aligned outsider, even if that creature’s ability does not usually allow it to transport other creatures.
